A Present Predicament
by scrittore18
Summary: With only five days left until Christmas, Nataliya is stumped on what to give Alek. Little does she know, he is in the exact same predicament. This should be a Christmas to remember! Alek Spasky/Nataliya Radova (Dedicated to Just a Happy Wombat.)
1. Chapter 1

**This is dedicated to 'Just a Happy Wombat', one of my bestest friends on here! ;) thanks for all of your help and support! I hope I do your OTP justice!**

 **Side note: If anyone is following my other two stories, I'm sorry I haven't updated! There has been SO MUCH going on in my personal life (job, family, holidays) that I haven't been able to focus on the plots like I should. Both of them will probably be on hold until January (or at least until after Christmas) but I promise to continue them! This fic is just easier to write because it contains no action, and I have to work harder writing that genre.**

 **Anyways, on to the story!**

—

Alek Spasky frowned at the web page, currently more annoyed than the time his sister had accidentally sabotaged an important mission.

Purses, scarves, jewelry, those were some of the items listed under the article title: _**Stumped on what to get her? Look no further!**_

 _Well, I'm still stumped; your stupid list didn't help one bit,_ he thought menacingly.

Biting back a verbal curse, he tried another article, and another, and another, until he couldn't bring himself to look at one more 'perfect' item.

 _It's not a big deal. Just buy her a random item and call it a day._

The thought was tempting but it was the last thing Alek wanted to do because Nataliya _wasn't_ simply a random person. It was a little awkward to call her his girlfriend—their relationship seemed like so much more than that—but when it came down to it, that's what she was. Though they had only been dating for ten months, it seemed like he had known her forever. She was able to look past his tough exterior, to bring out the qualities in him that most had never even glimpsed. And better than all of that, she simply made him _happy_ , an emotion he hadn't truly felt in years.

And now, with Christmas only five days away, he had no way to convey what all of that meant to him.

Wracking his brain, he tried to think of her favorite things. But she was simple, and even though she _liked_ items like accessories and clothing, none of those seemed that special. He had considered buying her jewelry and having it engraved, but that seemed like too much.

 _Would she think it's too soon for gifts like that when it hasn't even been a year? Besides, I've never seen her wear anything fancy or engraved. She might not even like that kind of stuff._

But he _could_ try to find out, he realized. After all, he wasn't a KGB agent for nothing, and if he could go on top-secret missions and be trusted with highly sensitive information, then finding out what gift to buy for Nata should be simple.

A smile almost broke out across his face as he reached for the phone.

—

Nataliya bit her lip as the video finished playing. After hours of searching online, she had resorted to a random guy's YouTube channel, after the title of his latest video promised that he would produce the 'perfect' gift idea. Only, it was a _lie._

 _Alek could care less about clothes. He's already got all of the latest gadgets, and things like watches and jewelry are so_ _ **cheesy.**_

Five days. She tried not to think about how close Christmas was, but it had rushed up on here, and here she was, trying to find a gift still. To be fair, she _had_ purchased presents for everyone else on her list, but this one was the most important.

 _I've got to figure out what to get him, and quickly._

The sound of her phone ringing brought her out of her contemplation, and her heart leaped as she saw who it was.

"I was just thinking about you," she murmured as soon as she answered.

Alek's dry chuckle was the first thing she heard, followed by an "Uh-oh, what have I done now?"

"Nothing," she said truthfully. "You were on my mind, that's all."

"That could be good or bad."

"I was thinking of Christmas. Only five days away!"

"And only four until I get to see you."

His voice, low and somewhat teasing, warmed her. When she and Alek had first started dating, she wondered at the cool front he put on. But it easily melted away, revealing a sweet guy that had simply been hurt a lot in life. The more she found out about his past, his struggles, and unveiled who _he_ was—the Alek who cared, who had feelings, who had his share of insecurities—the more she fell for him.

"I know. Excited?" She threw the teasing back at him.

"You know it. I wish it were sooner. But I have this job to finish."

"As long as you put your foot down and tell them that you're _not_ staying to work on Christmas Eve, I'll forgive you." She said the words knowing that for her sake, he would say no, but wanting to keep up the conversation while she tried to figure out how to approach the 'gift' situation. Nataliya didn't want to admit that she was struggling in that area. But before she could, Alek gave her the perfect opening.

"My flight is for early Christmas Eve morning and it will stay that way. Speaking of Christmas, did you finally get your shopping done?"

"Mostly. I just need to pick up a few items but it will be easy. What about you? Finding everything okay?"

"Yeah. Sure," he said, then muttered, "I hate shopping."

"Receiving is the best part huh? What do you think you'll get?" Nata asked, hoping that she wasn't making her desperation too obvious.

A snort came from the other side of the phone. "Eh, I probably won't get much. But that's okay. I can't think of anything I need."

Her heart sank, but she didn't give up. "Nothing at all? What about something you _want_?"

"I have everything I want." The statement was laced with something she couldn't place, but Alek moved on before she could dwell on it. "There are probably tons of things you want though. And you will probably get them, as much as people love you."

Nata rolled her eyes but had to admit that she probably _would_ receive more gifts than Alek. But females were different than males, and the gifts would mostly come from the people she worked with, went to the hair salon with, had lunch with…

"Not everyone loves me," she felt like she should remind him.

"I—" Alek started to say something, then stopped and coughed. "I think they do."

"You aren't getting sick are you?" Nataliya frowned. "I told you last week that you needed a break—"

"I'm fine sweetheart. Don't worry about me."

She couldn't help the smile that popped on her face at the term of endearment. Alek rarely used them so when he did, it was special.

 _I've_ _ **got**_ _to keep trying to find the perfect gift. He does so much for me and_ _ **means**_ _so much to me._

"...plus, I've been taking vitamins," Alek said, and Nata realized that he had been speaking but she hadn't been listening _._ She quickly tuned in, and was glad, because something he said next caught her attention. The smile she had been wearing turned into a grin that was so bright that it would put the town hall Christmas Tree to shame.

She had it—the exemplary present that would make Alek's Christmas.

—

Alek hung up the phone, feeling accomplished. It had taken some digging and some careful wording on his part, but he had it—the exemplary present that would make Nataliya's Christmas.

—

 **So a small start, but at least it's a start! This will have at LEAST two more chapters, maybe three! So stay tuned!**

 **Also: Present predictions? ;)**


	2. Chapter 2

Excitement—no, _exhilaration_ inundated through every fiber of Nata's being as she waited for Alek to walk through the security area of the airport. The last four days had seemed so slow, and she was anxious to see her boyfriend.

 _It's weird to call him that, but that's what he is._

Finally, after what seemed like hours, she saw his tall, dark form walking her way. Grinning, she maneuvered through the crowd and threw her arms around him before he could even drop the bags he was carrying. But she felt him return the hug, howbeit awkwardly, and she relaxed.

"Alek, hi. How was your trip?" she inquired as she stepped back, aware of how he wasn't too fond of public displays of affection. Nata didn't care, but she tried to be mindful of him.

To her surprise, he leaned in and gave her a quick kiss before responding, "It was good. Uneventful, which is rare for me."

If she hadn't been so caught off guard by the kiss, she would have chuckled. But the moment passed as Alek continued, "These bags are all I have. Let's get out of here."

She quickly agreed and tried to take his laptop case from him. But he waved her off, taking her hand instead with his free one. Again, she was a little startled, but not in a bad way. Briefly she contemplated bringing it up, but then decided against it.

 _I'll just enjoy it. He's obviously missed me a lot._

Nataliya's home was an hour drive away, but they spent the time catching up with each other. Even though they talked nearly every day, there was so much she was still learning about him, and she enjoyed every second spent with him.

"Is anyone here? I thought Irina was coming in this morning," Alek commented as they pulled into her driveway.

"Complications. She'll be in late tonight."

He nodded, then let out a tiny yawn. "I might need to catch a quick nap then," he said, then added, "But I promise it will be quick. I know we don't have much time this weekend."

Nata tried to keep her tone even as she replied, "We'll make the most of it."

They walked silently up the sidewalk and into the house that Nataliya had called home for the last two years. Once she decided to retire from her life as a double-agent, she had chosen to relocate just outside of Saignon, a small community in France. The people were friendly, the area beautiful, and most of all, it was quiet. Nata's house wasn't the grandest or largest, but she had tried her best to make it homey and warm; somewhere where a person could relax and forget about the world outside. Alek had only been here once, but mentioned before he left that it felt like a secluded paradise.

Now, taking in the circles under his eyes, she was glad that she had chosen this area. He needed to get away, and lately she had felt a little concerned at the amount he had been working. Before she could think about it too much, she reached over with her right hand and brushed the circles, then trailed her hand down over his cheek, resting on his lips. Her heart picked up its pace, and she swiftly withdrew, looking towards the stairs. "You can get settled if you want. I know you ate lunch on your layover, but I can make us some hot chocolate."

"Okay," Alek agreed. "I'll be right back down."

She waited until she heard his footsteps on the stairs before heading to the kitchen, intent on helping him relax for the next little bit.

—

Alek tried to hurry and unpack his things, but his movements were sluggish. What was wrong with him? Normally, even with hardly any sleep, he was sharp and could push himself. But since walking in—no, since seeing _her_ , his brain was so relaxed and for once, his body was in agreement.

 _She relaxes me, she always does. There's just something about her presence that allows me to slow down and let down my guard._

It was a good thing, but still unnerving. Glancing around the room as he finished his unpacking, he smiled at the decor. Nata was excellent in this area (though she denied it) and he liked the light Tuscan tones of the room, the open windows, and the charming paintings that graced the walls. Normally he wouldn't care about those things, but it was a reflection of her, and he loved it.

 _You're so whipped._

He ignored the warning and continued his task, trying to make himself hurry so he could get back downstairs. Though the bed looked inviting, he wanted to spend some more time with his girlfriend before he took a nap.

When he entered the living area a few minutes later, she was nowhere to be seen but the fireplace was on, indicating that she had been in the room. Alek sat down on the couch, and it was only seconds before she appeared, a tray in her hand. He started to get up but she waved him back down, then placed the item on the coffee table in front of him. He eyed the tray's contents. Not only had she made hot chocolate like she promised, but there were also cookies and small sandwiches too, and his stomach rumbled.

She must have heard it because she suddenly grinned at him.

"Hey, lunch _was_ a few hours ago," he reminded her.

"I didn't say a word."

But her smirk said it all, and as soon as she took a seat by him he pulled her over to him, putting an arm around her while the other one lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes. "You always speak with your eyes. And they were saying that you think it's _cute_ that my stomach growled. And I'm not _cute._ "

He was referencing a personal joke between them. Nataliya had called him cute once when he had been angry, and it had rendered him speechless—both her words at the time and the way she seemed not to be intimidated by him. It hadn't been long after that incident that they had started dating. But ever since then, she had called him that off and on, mostly just to get a rise out of him.

Instead of her eyes taking on a teasing glint like he expected, they held something else, something that he had spotted earlier when she traced his face with her fingertips. Just like then, his heart started beating a little faster, but this time, he gave into temptation and captured her lips with his. Unlike the kiss at the airport, this one was slow and unrushed, the way he liked it. Moving both hands to her face, he enjoyed feeling the softness of her skin there as he kissed her again and again, drinking in the familiar taste of vanilla. He tasted chocolate too but didn't dwell on that, keeping it up until she let out a soft moan and pressed up against him. Then he told himself to slow it down. Though they were adults and had been dating for almost a year, they hadn't done anymore than kiss. But they had both discussed their need to take this relationship slow, and he didn't want to mess things up.

So he tried for a light subject when he pulled back. "Why do you taste like chocolate? Have you been sneaking food without me?"

The impish grin that he had been looking for earlier crossed her face. "I had to taste-test the hot chocolate."

Alek moved his gaze to the tray again—probably the safest place for him to look right now—and eyed the mugs.

"Here, take one." Nata handed him one, and he saw that it was garnished with a peppermint stick.

"You remembered."

The grin didn't fade from her face. "Of course I did. It was only last week that you mentioned that chocolate and peppermint was one of your favorite combinations."

"In passing," he pointed out, but secretly was touched that she had been paying attention to his fleeting comment. She only shrugged, then turned to face the fire, which was fine with him, it gave him a chance to stare at her without her noticing. For some reason, it embarrassed her when she caught him, and she would pretend to be annoyed. But Alek knew that she secretly was flattered, she just didn't know how to handle the attention.

 _It's crazy. She should be used to it, as beautiful as she is._

His eyes landed on the dark hair that was falling over her shoulders—making him think of midnight waters—and took note of how the light sweater she was wearing flattered her figure. Finally, he allowed his eyes to roam her face. She was concentrating now on one of the large casement windows in the room, her brow furrowing at the rain that was starting to fall, probably turning into ice as they sat. Her hazel eyes flickered with life as the smile returned to her face and he coughed, deciding that she had been ignoring him long enough. When she glanced over he leaned forward and kissed her brow. "I'm so glad I'm here with you."

Nataliya seemed taken aback by his statement. "Uh, m-me too. I mean, I'm glad _you're_ here of course. With me."

He grinned at her stammering, took a big gulp of hot chocolate, then returned to his own side of the couch, stretching back and reclining against the soft pillows. Now that the rain was picking up, the sound was making him sleepy. That, along with the sounds of the fireplace and the warmth coming from it had his eyes closing. Even though his stomach was still empty, the feeling of exhaustion momentarily trumped anything else.

"I might fall asleep," he heard himself admitting.

"That's okay. Go right ahead," came Nata's voice, as soothing as a waterfall's cascade.

Alek tried to smile, but didn't have the energy, finally allowing himself the luxury of slumber.


	3. Chapter 3

"Just set it right over there," Nata gestured to the counter, and Irina Spasky complied, putting down the huge box that contained the desserts for tomorrow, as well as the wine. Nataliya had tried to convince Alek's sister that she could provide everything for the Christmas dinner they were having tomorrow afternoon, but she had lost the argument. She wasn't surprised though, Irina normally won every argument—unless it was a certain someone fighting with her. Then, and only then, had Nata seen Irina lose. Speaking of him…

"Is Alistair still coming to dinner tomorrow?"

Irina scowled at the counter, then at her. "I don't know."

Nataliya should have left it alone at that, but curiosity roused inside of her. "You don't know? I thought you spoke almost every day?"

"Well you thought _wrong._ I'm going upstairs to unpack."

Nata stared at her retreating figure, wondering what in the world had happened between the two of them.

 _I can ask Alek and see if he knows._

She turned, but as if he had heard her summon, he was standing in the doorway, eyeing the boxes his sister had left. "Hey did she bring Pastillas?"

"I haven't looked yet."

Alek beelined for the containers, and she watched him snoop through them, seeing the instant he spotted his favorite dessert. His eyes lit up and she couldn't help but smile at his reaction.

Then she remembered why she was going to go look for him and asked, "Is Alistair coming tomorrow?"

"I don't know. Ask Irina."

"I did," Nata admitted. "She said she didn't know and then ran out of here like she was on fire. I wonder if something happened between them."

The 'couple' had just recently become a couple, and though Nata got along well with Irina—having worked with her for years prior to her dating the agent's brother—the woman had been a lot easier to get along with lately. But even more than that, the ex KGB agent had seemed _happier_ too, and Nataliya liked seeing Irina happy.

"I have no idea," Alek responded in a disinterested tone as he taste-tested a Pastilla.

She released a long-suffering sigh. Wasn't he concerned? She voiced the question, and Alek turned his gaze on her.

"No. It's Irina's business, and if she wanted to tell us, _or_ needed our help"—he gave her a pointed look and Nata flushed, wondering if she was _that_ transparent—"she would let us know."

"I know, but—"

"Nu-uh. We aren't getting involved."

He must have seen the disappointed look because he came over to her and lifted her chin with his hand. "I know you just want to help, and that's sweet Nataliya. But love is personal, between two people and they're going to have to work it out. Just look at us. Irina had plenty of opportunities to push us together but she didn't, and the timing of our relationship was perfect. In fact, if she _had_ pushed us, we might not even be together. So I say we stay out of it."

All she could do was nod. Not only because she saw his point, but because of the word he had used.

 _Love._

She had never heard the word from his lips, not when referencing a relationship, and definitely not directly. It shouldn't bother her—they had only been dating ten months after all, and Alek wasn't the type to express himself with words—but it _did_ make her wonder sometimes what his feelings towards her were.

Shaking the thought, she looked into his steel blue eyes. They softened when he looked back at her, and her heart fluttered. "Okay," she said softly. "I'll try to stay out of it."

His brows puckered, and he shook his head while releasing her chin and stepping back. "I suppose that's all I can expect."

But he winked, softening the words and she laughed.

The moment passed and soon they were joined by Irina, who suggested catching up in front of the fireplace. The evening was uneventful but nice, and soon Nata was upstairs in her room. She should be preparing for bed but she couldn't help but pull out the gift she had found for Alek, obsessing over it one last time before she wrapped it.

 _I hope he likes it. It isn't much and doesn't seem adequate but it's the best I could do._

—

Only one door away, Alek was having similar thoughts. He frowned at the gift, tucked neatly away still in his suitcase, before pulling it out and eyeing it critically.

 _I hope she likes it. Knowing her, she will gush over it even if she doesn't._

He had brought an additional present too but wasn't sure about that one either. Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair and put both objects back in their place. He would wrap them in the morning and then hope for the best. He had asked his sister earlier if she minded letting Alek and Nata do a personal gift exchange, and she assured him that she didn't and would actually enjoy the extra sleep. When she had stated that, Alek knew that Nata had definitely picked up on something—his sister _never_ slept in—but he had left it at that, believing what he had told his girlfriend, that Irina needed to deal with things herself.

Besides, he had his own relationship to worry about. Alek's stomach knotted at the thought of what else the morning would bring, but he pushed it away, knowing that right now, he needed sleep.

—

Nataliya tiptoed into the den, looking expectantly at the Christmas tree, but there was no sign of Alek. She knew he would be there soon though, so she went ahead and started the fire, then sank in front of the tree, almost bouncing with excitement.

Alek appeared almost ten minutes later, but she decided to forgive him for being late, especially when she saw how cute he looked in his pajamas. Initially, he told her he was going to get dressed but after some 'convincing' from her, he decided it would be his best interest to comply with her 'pajamas on Christmas morning' tradition.

"Sorry I'm so late," he mumbled, "I was trying to wrap your gift and ran into some complications."

She stopped the teasing words from falling out of her mouth. It was Christmas after all, and Alek already looked distressed. Instead, she stood and kissed him, then guided him down to sit beside her on the soft carpet. "It's okay. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas." He smiled at her, then self-consciously handed her a medium-sized box. In return, she handed him his present, and they both sat there for a few seconds.

"Er, I guess you can go first? Or should we open them at once?" Nata asked.

He shrugged. "I don't care."

"Let's go one at a time, that way we can watch each other open our gifts," she suggested.

Alek agreed, then gestured at her. "Ladies first."

She looked at the box in her lap, admiring the bow gracing it. "I like this. You did a good job wrapping my gift."

He really did. It was perfect, down to the aligned tape on the back, and she almost hated opening it. But excitement and curiosity took over, so she carefully peeled the paper back, revealing a plain white box. Her fingers were shaking and she struggled opening it, until Alek reached over, placing his hands over hers.

"Here." He popped it loose in one easy motion, and she smiled her thanks at him. Then she slowly took the box lid open, revealing what was inside.

At first, she just stared, surprised for two different reasons. But when Alek shifted and she looked up to see the uncertain expression on his face, she quickly lifted the book and opened it.

"You made this?" she asked, turning the pages, one by one.

Filling them were pictures, starting from when Nataliya was entering her 'Lucian' training, to operating a helicopter for the first time, to having luncheons with her closest friends and family. Not only that but as she got near the end, she was stunned to see pictures of her and Alek too, ranging from their first date all the way to their date last month, the last time they saw each other. There were a few blank pages too following that, so she shut the book and turned to him, not sure of what to say.

But when she saw the same uncertainty there, she knew she had to voice _something._

"Alek, I _love_ this," she stated. "Thank you. It's perfect."

"Really? You're not just saying that?"

"Of course I'm not. I—" but she stopped to shake her head, then gestured towards his gift. "Open mine."

He threw her a frown but complied, opening her gift much the same as she did his, careful to not rip the paper too much. When she caught the flabbergasted look on his face, she giggled. "I guess we had the same thought this year for a gift."

Alek laughed too as he pulled open a similar photo album. Nata had worked extra hard to get the pictures from Irina and was pleased to see that he seemed to like it. She expected him to laugh again as he neared the end and, like he had with her book, saw the pictures she had put in there of the two of them. But instead, he swallowed and traced a few of them, his face going blank.

"What is it?" she asked softly, though she could guess.

Sure enough, when he faced her, she could tell he was fighting against some sort of emotion. But he took a deep breath and looked down before she could question him further.

They sat in silence, and it was turning awkward when he met her eyes again. His face was composed, and something like determination had replaced the blankness.

"I need to tell you something. Well first, I want to say thank you for the gift. It means a lot to me."

Nataliya was relieved. When she first had the idea, a small bit of doubt hit her. But knowing how Alek was, she figured that a photo album (something that he could look at that contained pictures of the people that were important to him) would mean a lot. And she had been right. He always tried to appear stoic but he had a soft spot too, not only for his family, but also for her.

"You're welcome," she said in response, loving how he took her hands in his suddenly. His were warm, and the gesture made her feel special.

"But there's something else I want to say too—something I've felt for a while but have trouble saying for some reason."

Her heart started beating fast, and it was her turn to feel uncertain. While she didn't think he was about to break up with her or anything similar, she couldn't help but feel apprehensive. She tried to give him an encouraging look, and he took another deep breath and continued.

"You mean a lot to me Nata, more than I even thought possible. I know that it's only been ten months since we've started dating, but I want you to know"—he shifted, pulled her closer to him, and squeezed her hands tighter—"that I love you."

Nata's heart now felt like it had stopped beating altogether as she blinked at him, not sure if she had heard him correctly. But just as he let out a nervous laugh, the words clicked and she threw herself at him, almost causing him to fall backward. If she hadn't been so distracted she would have laughed, but she was intent on hugging him. For some reason, she couldn't speak.

Finally, after a few seconds of holding him close, she whispered in his ear, "I love you too Alek."

She felt the tension ease from his body, and then he was muttering in _her_ ear, "You do?"

"Yes." She pulled back to look him in the eye, a grin growing on her face. He returned it, and they sat grinning at each other like idiots before Nataliya caught sight of another small box near him. "What's that?"

"Oh," Alek wore a funny look like he had forgotten about it. "This is for you too."

"Another present? But I didn't get you anything else."

"I don't care. Here." He took the box and handed it to her. "Open it."

She did, gaping at the ring box that had been hiding under the paper.

Alek laughed though. "It's not an engagement ring."

Nata flushed but opened it, her eyes taking in the beautiful piece of jewelry. A green-encrusted diamond heart sat on a gold band, and it looked familiar, but she couldn't place it.

"It's beautiful. What kind of ring is this?"

"A Claddagh ring. Do you know the meaning behind it?"

"An Irish ring that symbolizes friendship, love, and loyalty," Nata murmured as she clasped the item between her fingers and watched the way the lights from the Christmas tree hit it, making it gleam. "I know how to wear it too."

Slowly, she placed in on her right ring finger, making sure the heart faced inward, signaling to Alek and all others that her heart was taken.

Then she glanced up. Alek was staring back at her and she leaned over to kiss him, lingering in front of him when it was over, not wanting the moment to end. "Thank you."

He didn't answer but he turned her around and placed his arms around her, securing her against him. Releasing a contented breath she held up her hand, admiring the ring once more, then sank back against the person she had just recently grown to love.

 _Falling in love isn't so bad, not when it's with someone so amazing._

"What do we do now? I'm not used to all of this Christmas stuff," Alek's voice broke into her thoughts.

Nata bit back the grin, knowing that he was serious. "Now," she stated. "We enjoy our time together. In a little bit, we can go get Irina, but for now let's just stay here."

He tilted her head to look at him, and she saw that he was smiling, _again_. She could get used to this Alek.

"That sounds perfect. Merry Christmas Nataliya."

"Merry Christmas Alek."

—

 _Christmas... is not an external event at all, but a piece of one's home that one carries in one's heart. ~ Freya Stark_

—

 **I hope that this was satisfactory my friend! (stay tuned for a bonus chapter, which will be the latter half of this in Alek's POV :D)**


	4. Bonus Chapter

**Here is the bonus chapter! :)**

—

Alek rushed down the stairs but slowed down once he neared the den, wanting to give the appearance of being calm.

Nataliya was patiently waiting, sitting in front of the tree with her hands folded in her lap, dressed in gingerbread pajamas. He could see that she had already started the fire and felt even more guilty.

"Sorry I'm so late. I was trying to wrap your gift and ran into some complications."

Instead of acting annoyed or teasing him, she stood to her feet and greeted him with a kiss. It caught him by surprise, so much that he didn't even have time to react. But she was already pulling him down to the floor beside her. "It's okay," she said sweetly. "Merry Christmas."

He returned the greeting, then handed her the present that was in his hands. She gave him his present too, but he didn't move to open it, not sure what to do now.

Nata broke the silence. "Er, I guess you can go first? Or should we open them at once?"

He shrugged and responded, "I don't care."

Really, he was nervous enough about her gift and kind of wanted her to go first but didn't want to admit that to her.

"Let's go one at a time, that way we can watch each other open our gifts."

"Ladies first," he gestured towards her, his heart starting to pound.

"I like this," she stated, staring at the box. Alek wished that she would just _open_ it. "You did a good job wrapping my gift."

A flush spread over his cheeks when he remembered how much he had struggled with it, but thankfully Nataliya didn't notice. He watched as she carefully tore the paper open, then as she tried to open the box. Only she had trouble with the tape and an adorable frown crossed her face. Leaning over slightly, he assisted her. She smiled up at him, her eyes warm, and he momentarily forgot about how unsure he felt about the present. It wasn't until she took the lid off and looked down at the photo album that his heart started racing again.

And _kept_ racing, because there was no reaction from his girlfriend.

 _Great, she hates it. She's trying to think of something polite to say. She—_

Now she was lifting the album, flipping through the pages. "You made this?"

Alek wasn't sure what to say. Did she like it or not? Her face was unreadable as she went through the book, all the way until she got to the end. Then she turned to him, and he braced himself.

"Alek I _love_ this. Thank you, it's perfect."

Relief poured over him but he asked to make sure, "Really? You're not just saying that?"

"Of course I'm not. I—" she cut off, then motioned towards his gift. He expected her to say more but all she said was, "open mine."

He obeyed but frowned, wondering at her tone. Trying to be careful, he peeled away the paper of her gift then glanced inside the box. Shock hit him at the contents, and at first, he didn't move.

"I guess we had the same thought this year for a gift," Nata stated with a chuckle.

He released a laugh as he lifted up another photo album, this one made by her, the irony hitting him. Going through the book, he was surprised to see really old pictures in it. Irina must have helped her. But when he got to the end and saw a few photos of him and Nataliya, his heartbeat slowed. They both looked so happy in all of them, but Alek's attention was caught by one that was only taken a couple of months ago. He had his arm around Nata and was grinning at the camera, but she was looking at _him,_ an adoring smile on her face.

 _She really does love me._

Before he could stop himself he was tracing the photo and the few next to it, his thoughts racing.

 _I need to tell her how I feel. No more putting it off._

"What is it?" Nata's voice came to his ears, gentle, like she didn't want to startle him.

Fighting the emotion he was feeling, he turned to her. But when he met her eyes, dark yet warm, he had to look down.

 _Get yourself together and act like a man. You're going to make her think that something is wrong._

He lifted his gaze, looking her straight in the eye. "I need to tell you something. Well first, I want to say thank you for the gift. It means a lot to me."

Her face brightened at the words. "You're welcome," she said, breaking into the speech he was preparing.

Reaching over, he took her small hands in his own, loving how soft they were and how she squeezed them gently in response.

"But there's something else I want to say too—something I've felt for a while but have trouble saying for some reason," he admitted.

It was stupid really. He had always been straightforward. But when it came to his feelings, he froze up, kept them hidden. It was changing now, Nata deserved someone who would be open with her.

He looked at her now, was encouraged by the reassuring look she gave him in return and took a deep breath. This was it.

"You mean a lot to me Nata, more than I even thought possible. I know that it's only been ten months since we've started dating, but I want you to know"—suddenly needing her closer, he tugged her right up to him, where they were almost touching—that I love you."

There. He had said it. Now he waited for her reaction, every muscle in his body tense. But his girlfriend only blinked at him, and he let out a reflexive laugh, not sure what else to say.

 _Maybe it was too soon—_

He felt her body suddenly against his, nearly making him lose his balance. She was hugging him? He still felt a little disoriented, not sure how to react, when her voice suddenly came to his ears. It was only a whisper, but he heard her loud and clear. "I love you too Alek."

"You do?" he asked, even as he felt himself relax.

"Yes."

She leaned back a little, a grin on her face and he couldn't help but return it. He felt light, happy, like he could do _anything_ now.

"What's that?" Nataliya asked, bringing him out of his haze, but only slightly.

He looked over to see what she was talking about and saw that it was the smaller box that he had slipped out of his pocket when she hadn't been looking earlier. "Oh this is for you too," he said.

Earlier he hadn't been sure about it, but now, knowing that his feelings were returned, he was glad he bought it on impulse just two days ago.

"Another present?" Her brow furrowed. "But I didn't get you anything else."

"I don't care," he said, taking the object and handing it to her. "Open it."

She did so, and he had to laugh at the startled expression on her face when she caught sight of the ring box.

"It's not an engagement ring," he assured her— _yet,_ he mentally added but decided not to voice it.

Alek watched her reaction as she opened the box and saw what was inside. A delighted look, almost like awe crossed her face. "It's beautiful. What kind of ring is this?"

He was a little surprised that she didn't already know. "A Claddagh ring. Do you know the meaning behind it?"

"An Irish ring that symbolizes friendship, love, and loyalty." Recognition lit her eyes as she lifted it out of the box. "I know how to wear it too."

His stomach did a weird little flip as he observed her putting it on her finger, indicating that her heart was 'taken'.

 _One day I want to see her move it to her left hand._

She looked up at him and he wondered if his thoughts were displayed on his face. But she kissed him before he could think too much more about it. "Thank you," she murmured but didn't pull away.

Alek wasn't sure what to say, so he spoke without words, shifting her slightly so he could pull her up against his chest. He smiled as she lifted her hand again to look at her ring, but still didn't say anything. After they had been sitting for a minute or so though, a thought came to him.

"What do we do now?" he asked, wondering if he was breaking some sort of protocol by just sitting here. "I'm not used to all of this Christmas stuff."

"Now we enjoy our time together. In a little bit we can go get Irina, but for now let's just stay here."

That seemed like a good idea to him. Placing his fingers on her cheeks, he angled her face so he could smile at her. "That sounds perfect," he stated. Then, because it seemed to fit, he added, "Merry Christmas Nataliya."

"Merry Christmas Alek," she said in reply.

He didn't say anything else, sinking back into the moment, but as he pulled her up to him again, he had to admit that this was one of the best Christmas's he had ever experienced.

—

 **Dun-dun-dun!**

 **The end!**


End file.
